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muktidata
Acolyte
7 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Jun 2014 : 12:26:51
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Greetings. I am new to Faerūn and this is my first morning on Candlekeep. I have been fervently reading histories of the realms to better know what an upcoming character of mine will need to know.
What brings me to post here is an attempt to gain some perspective and ideas while developing the backstory for a DnD character I am in the creation process for. I am trying to follow a non-existent lineage of one Josidiah Starym as I plan to be a distant ancestor (the game is set in the late 1370's, so I imagine I'm a minimum of two generations away). My main questions are as follows:
Q1) Did Josidiah marry? I cannot find any information regarding this. If not, did he likely have siblings? Bastards?
Q2) What was Josidiah's legacy? What do you think it would look like to "carry on his legacy" in modern times Faerūn?
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6354 Posts |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jun 2014 : 13:49:52
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Oi, great choice for a character!
House Starym is quite notorious for being one of the first 12 major houses of Myth Drannor (seen by contempuaries as the First House becouse of their influence). They largely migrated from Myth Drannor in outrage, when the then current coronal Eltargrim Irithyl opened the city to N'Tel'Quess (dwarves, humans, gnomes and halflings). A certain few determined members of the clan decided to stay and keep the honor of the house high. Much later, some of the disenchanted housemembers took part in the formation of the Eldreth Veluuthra. The clan as a whole is quite large, but scattered in the areas surrounding Cormanthyr (like Semberholme, the Elven Court, some minor elven forest villages), Evereska and Evermeet of course.
Josidiah was one of those few clan Starym elves that decided to stay and keep the house name in Myth Drannor respectable, and he was a renowned bladesinger (just as the other remaining Starym, Josidiahs uncle Lord Protector Taleisin Starym), owner of a panther figurine Guenhwyvar, and heir of the house. Josidiah was one of the numerous candidates to betrothe the Coronals daughter, Aravae Irithyl, and to prove his worth he went on a quest to find the lost Elfblade of Cormanthyr, the Warblade. He went into the underdark with his adventuring party from the Twisted Tower and downwards, only to dissappear for several decades.
He emerged a little over a century later (674 DR), with not the Warblade but the Artblade in his possesion (and missing his figurine which he is rumored to have traded for the blade), but Aravae and her dad the coronal Eltargrim were already long dead though. He went on to serve Cormanthor as the Spellmajor of the land, using his greenflamed twinsword bladesong and expertise with evocation magics to uphold the defence of the elven realms.
So no, Josidiah never married, and has no known bastards. He had a mother named Ysmyrl'da, and in Josidiahs absense the gold elf Venali held the clan-house heir status. He ended as a level 30th level Lawful Good bladesinger, with Josidiah wielding his the Artblade and riding a lighning bolt into the demonic forces besieging Myth Drannor in 714 DR. His evocation magics gathered so much heat that it brought down the whole Speculum he was defending on himself and the fiendish horde that besieged it.
Josidiahs legacy would be to try and uphold house Staryms honor, as several of the clans members have done pretty horrible things (including trying to assasinate the forward thinking Eltargrim, gunning for Elminster and creating the Eldreth Veluuthra). Josidiahs dualwielding bladesong style is probably in decline aswell, so getting new blood to learn his twinbladed bladeforms would be a good goal aswell. Finding the Artblade in lost Myth Drannor would be a lifelong quest of most Starym clan members. Finally getting a seat on the Elven Court council is another goal most clanmenbers will respect highly.
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My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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muktidata
Acolyte
7 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jun 2014 : 19:34:36
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*Applauds*
These two posts are a gold mine each! I've decided to have him be the descendent of Josidiah via his bastard. An unconfirmed bastard, but before their obviously impending estrangement I plan to have his mother throw out the claim that his blood traces back to Josidiah through a bastard. Josidiah's alleged bastard somehow made it into highborn society and so my character will have been highborn as well. As for carrying on his forefather's legacy, I am thinking he will try to unite the House Starym so as to strengthen it and restore its honor. I know Josidiah didn't try that method, but it sounds like he was dedicated to the honor of House Starym and what better way to bring honor to the house than uniting it? (And secretly, my character will want to "get rid" of the Evil in the Starym house).
A few more Q's:
Q3) Where might I read more about the Retreat? I'm starting his story here. Childhood happened. Boyhood happened. I'm picking up shortly after the "completion" of his informal Bladesinger training. Eager to use his newly honed skills, he stays behind for some of the final resistance during the Retreat. I need to figure out what exactly happened and who all was present.
Q4) When it's said that most Houses fled Cormanthor during the Retreat, what does that mean? Who stayed? Why? |
Edited by - muktidata on 03 Jun 2014 19:36:18 |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jun 2014 : 23:19:39
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The story and detail regarding the rise and fall of Myth Drannor and Cormanthyr can be found in the excellent Arcane Age supplements for FR: Cormanthyr Empire of the Elves and Fall of Myth Drannor by our esteemed mr Steven Schend. It has the most extensive list of elven houses, complete with sigils, prominent members and general outlook on life for each one.
The Retreat is mentioned in 3e FR Campaign Setting (pg 123). It started a relatively few years before the common campaign settings current date (1373 DR), and is issued by the Elven Court in 1344 DR. About 90% of all elven houses left for Evermeet in a great exodus. There were stragglers still, with multiple individual reasons for staying behind. The only remaining elven state on the Faerunian mainland during the elven retreat was Evereska. Examples of similar large groups of elves that were left behind are 'lost' green elven tribes (in the Wealdath for example), gold elven defenders of elven burial grounds (mostly around the Elven Court in Cormanthor Forest), or wandering merchant moon elf families (not uncommon sight in the North and Western Heatlands). |
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Druidic Groves
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rangerstranger
Seeker
USA
54 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2014 : 04:05:58
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Well if you're trying to unite the Starym clan you are bound to come across the Starym Moonblade (or Darkmoon) and the Eldreth Veluuthra. Volo's Guide to all thing's Magical will provide you with a good amount of information on the Moonblade. Cloak and Dagger (2nd edition) and/or Lords of Darkness (3/3.5) will provide some excellent info on the Eldreth.
I've recently started DMing a campaign for my gaming group and I'm using a very similar idea to what you are doing with your character. Many of the characters are actually descendants of members the Starym Clan, although unknowingly, and I plan on having them come across someone in possession of or possessed by the Starym Moonblade, depending on how you want to look at it. The Eldreth Veluuthra will also play a roll but the campaign is in its infancy and there is much detail I still need to hash out.
As for the elven retreat, Bladewind has summed it up pretty well. The 3e FR Campaign Setting does speak of it but also mentions that it has ended. Basically saying that all of the large groups who intend on leaving Faerun have left and that the ones who are still leaving are individual pilgrims. The little caption on page 14 goes on to say that the retreat is in the process of reversing. The caption is written from the viewpoint of an individual half-elf so take it as you will.
There were many reasons for elves to stay behind. Some felt that the ruins of their once great cities could not be left to fall into the hands of humans or worse still, the drow. Some retreated from Cormanthyr and settled in other areas aside from Evermeet. Some elves felt that the government of Evermeet was just not for them for one reason or another. |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2394 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2014 : 05:38:20
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quote:
Originally posted by muktidata
These two posts are a gold mine each! I've decided to have him be the descendent of Josidiah via his bastard.
Josidiah probably did not find another consort very soon after going through whatever he gone and losing Aravae.
But nothing says he became a gloomy ass, and he lived, what, 40 years after returning, and he was still an elf, so... it's plausible. At very least, via Midsummer Night festivals. As a bonus, this would mean a child is considered "blessed". Not a lot, but something.
quote:
An unconfirmed bastard, but before their obviously impending estrangement I plan to have his mother throw out the claim that his blood traces back to Josidiah through a bastard.
This part should not be a big deal. A random priest of the appropriate deity confirms, the end. It's not like they're Obarskyrs or something.
Staryms made big enough asses of themselves that being known as one of them may be a disadvantage more often than not, yes.
But we can assume that if the lady in question was a big fan of the shiny Spell-Major back then, she would proceed to praise him long (after the city's fall) enough and loudly enough that the child was both well known as his and raised with pants of the great hero to grow into hanging on a wall. 
It's also plausible that the whole frantic evacuation thing landed them in a place without any local Staryms.
quote:
Josidiah's alleged bastard somehow made it into highborn society and so my character will have been highborn as well. As for carrying on his forefather's legacy, I am thinking he will try to unite the House Starym so as to strengthen it and restore its honor.
The problem here may be being someone upon whom the House Starym will look twice to begin with. We need more details on how this work. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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sfdragon
Great Reader
2285 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2014 : 08:11:07
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aaah yes DArkmoon, Last I heard, it was traveling about looking for an heir to the starym clan, which at the time iirc was some half elf member of the vyshaan Eldreth Veluuthra.
that said, Darmoon is a racist blade, namely it wants to be in the hands on an elven member of the clan and as be noted above it is sentient and would possess anyone to get it to where it wants to go.
elves consider the blade to be an abomination and very evil as it was corrupted by moander iirc.
a tear of wahtsd her name the queen of evermeet would destroy the blade itself and putting into a pool of eldaith( er whatever the goddess of peace is) would purify it.
if you plan on using the blade, better find a place to purify it, if not better off destroying it, Eitherway the elven community would toast you to dealing with it/ all that is if Irrc.
the blade hates humans and half elves |
why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power
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Magister's GAmbit
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Where has my character been?!
